To all whom it may concern



H. WHITING,

Dividers.

No. 64,391. Patented April 30, I867.

I Quilts?! gtatmifietmt @fftm H'ORATIO WHITING, or NEW'YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent N0. ti -1,391, dated April 30, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN DIVIDIBBS;

Elie S-ClItblllt nfcneh tv in flgisr ElettersESnteui and unitingpzirtuttlgr saint TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I

'Be it l-:nown that-I, HORATIO WHITING, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dividers, etc; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enableothers skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The present invention relates to dividers, compasses, calipers, and other similarinstruments or implements, and it consists in the attachment to one leg of the dividers of a curved or arc-shaped arm, concentric with the centre pivot of the dividers, and toothe-rl along its inner edge, which arm passes through a slot in the other leg of the instrument, having a screw-nut or collar loosely hung therein over the curved arm, and'with the teeth of which it is held in close contact through a bent spring properly arranged therei'or within the slot of such arm. In the accompanying plate of drawings my improvement in dividers is illustrated Figure 1 being a front view of the dividers with its legs opened from each other, and one in partial section to show arrangement of screw-nut in slot of the same; and

Figure 2 an edge view.

A and B, in the drawings, represent the two legs of the dividers, which at one end are pivoted together, so as to turn upon a common centre-pin, C, both legs being made equal in length and suitably pointed at their outer ends. D, a curved arm secured at one end to the inside edge of one of the legs of the dividers, which arm projects therefrom through a slot, E, in the other leg, and is concentric with the centre pivot of the dividers. The upper edge of the arm D is notched or toothed, (as shown in fig. 1,) along its entire length.- F a screw-nut hung in the slot E upon the toothed arm D, with the teeth of which it is held eng'aged by and through a bent spring, G, suitably arranged within the said slot E to bear upon the said screw-nut in and between its flanged edges 1:, in tlre.proper direction to retain it in contact and engaged with the teeth of the curved arm, while at the same time it will allow the said SCI6W 11UL to be slid or inoved within thg said slot sufficient to disengage it from the teeth of the curved arm. v

From the above description of the construction of the dividers, it is plainly obvious that to set or adjust the points of the dividers to any desired distance apart, it is only necessary to first disengage the screw-nuti'rom the teeth of the curved arm, which leaves the leg holding such screw-nnt free to be moved or slid upon the curved arm either toward or away from the other leg, according as it is to be opened or closed more or less, when releasing the hand from the said nut by the action of the bent spring arranged with regard thereto, it is thrown into connection with the curved arm V, thus fining or securing the leg in the position to which it had been adjusted or brought as above described. If after the legs of thc dividers have been adjusted as above described, it be desired to adjust them with a greater degree of accuracy by turning the screw-nut within the leg which holds it, either to the right or left, such leg will be correspondingly moved either toward or away from the other leg, as is obvious without any further explanation. In conclusion, I will here remark that it is not necessary that the nut or collar should be provided with a screw-thread, but I deem it best so to do, as when a screw-thread is used the divider legs can be adjusted with a greater degree of accuracy and fineness as has been hereinbefore stated. i

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patcnt- -'.lhe construction and arrangement of the annular flanged screw-nut F, provided with a screw-thread upon its inside, and hung in the slot E, in the leg B, upon the arm D, the latter provided with teeth upon its upper side, and passing through the slot in the leg B, at right angles with the slot E, the said screw-nut being held in place by means of the spring G in the slot E, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

HORATIO WHITING.

Witnesses ALFERT W. Bno wr, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

